Apache Corp. said its exploration program in Egypt’s Western Desert yielded seven oil and gas discoveries in four geologic basins in the quarter ended June 30.
Four discoveries are in the Faghur basin and one each are in the Shushan, Matruh, and Abu Gharadig basins. All seven have been tested, and one is on production.
During the quarter the company ran an average of 27 drilling rigs on its Western Desert concessions, which total 9.7 million gross acres.
The Riviera SW-1X discovery on the Abu Gharadig basin southern flank test-flowed 5,800 b/d of oil and 2.8 MMcfd of gas from a Lower Bahariya sand with 24 ft of net pay. The Narmer-1X discovery is a stratigraphic trap separated from Neilos oil field 5 miles to the east.
Riviera SW-1X, on the WD 30 Development Lease acquired in 2010 and in which Apache has 100% contractor interest, is 1.3 miles south of Riviera field, which also produces from the Upper Bahariya and Abu Roash formations. The discovery extends the known southern limit of the play in the Abu Gharadig basin.
The well, which cost $5 million to drill and complete, is online and producing at restricted rates of 2,000 b/d of oil while gas rates continue to be monitored.
The Narmer-1X and Neilos field are elements of an emerging Paleozoic play that Apache pioneered in the Western Desert. Narmer-1X, on the Khalda Offset concession in the Faghur basin, encountered 85 ft of net pay in Paleozoic-aged sandstone and test-flowed 1,200 b/d of oil and 400 Mcfd of gas with a trace of water.
Appraisal wells will be required to accurately map the new field, but the stratigraphic trap is estimated to exceed 1,000 acres and analogous prospects have been mapped nearby. With its proximity to infrastructure, the well is expected on line shortly following development lease approval. Drilling costs were $3.1 million, and completion is pending. Apache has a 100% contractor interest in the Khalda Offset concession.
The Jade N-2X, 1.5 miles northeast of Jade field in the western Matruh basin on the Matruh Development Lease, encountered 35 ft of net pay in Cretaceous Alam El Bueib 3G sandstone. A 74-ft perforated interval tested up to 11.2 MMcfd of gas and 146 b/d of condensate at original reservoir pressure. Apache has a 100% contractor interest in the Matruh concession. Drilling and completion costs were $2.6 million.
The WKAL-T-1X, 3.5 miles due south of nearest production in Tell field on the West Kalabsha concession in the Faghur basin, logged 32 ft of net pay in the Safa formation. The well was tested in one of three zones of Upper Safa sandstone that flowed 2,900 b/d of oil and 2.8 MMcfd of gas. Drilling and completion costs were $5 million.
Also in West Kalabsha, the WKAL-N-3X appraisal well extended WKAL-N field to the west. The well flowed on test at 3,500 b/d of oil and 3.2 MMcfd of gas from Safa.
Apache submitted development lease applications for both of these future producers and has a 100% contractor interest in the West Kalabsha concession.
SIWA-R-1X on the Siwa concession in the Faghur basin tested 1,900 b/d of oil per day from Safa. It encountered 73 ft of net pay with the lowest known oil corresponding to the mapped structural closure. The discovery is 3.5 miles south of the nearest production and is expected to start producing immediately after development lease approval.
The discovery extends the southern limits of the productive fairway and is one of a number of analogous structures expected to be tested. Drilling costs were $4.8 million with final completion pending. Apache is the operator and has a 50% contractor interest in the Siwa concession, and state-owned Tharwa Petroleum Co. has 50%.
The Buchis W-2X was drilled on the Buchis Development Lease on the northeastern margin of the Faghur basin. It tested a three-way closure adjacent and upthrown to Pepi oil field with multiple Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Paleozoic objectives.
Buchis W-2X encountered 44 ft of stacked pay in Alam El Bueib and more pay in the Paleozoic Zeitoun and Basur formations. The well tested 1,700 b/d of oil from the AEB-3D sandstone. Drilling costs for the well were $4.7 million with $400,000 estimated for completion. Apache has a 100% contractor interest in the Buchis Development Lease.
The Falak NW-1X on the Khalda Development Lease on the northern flank of the Shushan basin logged 114 ft of stacked net pay in Safa. Apache tested 1,200 b/d of oil and 6.1 MMcfd of gas from multiple Safa sands and is running casing for completion. Falak NW-1X, 3 miles south of Shams field and 2 miles southeast of the recent Amoun NE-1X discovery, cost $3.5 million to drill with $1 million estimated for completion.
